Every ten years, the quiet German city of Münster transforms into an outdoor gallery, thanks to a public art exhibition called Skulptur Projekte Münster. And in 2027, this art party is getting a significant shake-up, complete with communal cooking and a deep dive into the city's soul.
This will be the first edition without its founder, Kasper König, who passed away in 2024. Filling those rather large shoes is the curatorial collective What, How & for Whom (WHW), who are promising to pull art out of the museum and into the actual messy, vibrant life of Münster. They're exploring themes of marginalization and togetherness, essentially asking: how open is this city, really?
They want to highlight the "cities within the city," focusing on who gets included, who gets left out, and what actually makes a community tick. Think less white-cube gallery, more thoughtful urban intervention.
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König launched Skulptur Projekte Münster in 1977, turning a city of 300,000 into a global public art destination. Many of the artworks, by legends like Thomas Schütte and Claes Oldenburg, even become permanent fixtures. It's why you can just stumble upon a giant billiard table or a peculiar house in Münster, rather than having to buy a museum ticket.
And in 2027, the crowds will be even bigger. Skulptur Projekte Münster will run concurrently with Documenta, another major art show in nearby Kassel, meaning art pilgrims will be making a double-header trip. Münster's population is about to get a lot more interesting.
So, what's on the menu (literally)? Celebrated artists like Oscar Murillo, Selma Selman, and Hew Locke are among the 30 participants.
Oscar Murillo's contribution will involve nothing less than "communal cooking and collective sharing" at a former Officer's Casino, sourcing ingredients from local crop producers. Because apparently, the best way to understand a city is through its stomach.
Hew Locke is tackling colonialism with an installation at the Haus der Niederlande, a site where a treaty ending the Eight Years' War was signed in 1648. Selma Selman is taking on globalization with an installation made from scrap materials at a former cemetery. Róza El-Hassan will explore migration in the Botanical Garden and the Berg Fidel district, and Iza Tarasewicz is creating a piece about the changing seasons at a former farm.
The LWL-Museum für Kunst und Kultur is organizing the show, which kicks off on June 12, 2027. Get ready for art that makes you think, and maybe even share a meal.
